fisher



Patented July I2, I898.

I. FISHER.

FISH PLATE FOR RAILS.

(Application filed Oct. 16, 1897.)

(No Model.)

ATENT Price.

JOHN FISHER, OF MATLOCK BATH, ENGLAND.

FISH-PLATE FOR RAILS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 607,358, dated July 12,1898. A li tio fil d October 16, 1897. Serial No. 656,608. (No model.)

To (LZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN FISHER, a subject of the Queen of GreatBritain, residing at Matlock Bath, England, have invented certain newand useful Improvements in Fish- Plates for Rails, of which thefollowing is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in fish-plates for rails, by whichthe ends of ad joining rails are firmly secured together; and theobjects of my improvements are, first, to provide a solid and strongconnection between the fish-plates and the rails; second, to add to thesafety and durability of the joint between the rails, and, third, toreduce the vibration caused to cars passing over the joints of rails onrailways. I attain these objects by the devices illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side View of the entirejoint between the ends of two rails. Fig. 2 is a plan of the same. Fig.3 is a longitudinal section of the fish-plates and the joint between theends of the two rails. Fig. 4 is a transverse vertical section at a; inFig. 1. Fig. 5 is a similar section at 3 Fig. 1. Fig. 6 is a front viewof the packing-piece. Fig. 7 isa similar section to Fig. 4, but showinga separate lining between the rail and the fish-plate. Fig. 8 is asimilar section to Fig. 5, but showing the same separate lining and alsoa part of the latter bent down to prevent the nuts from unscrewing; andFig. 9 is a front View of the said separate lining.

Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

a b are the ends of two rails, which are to be rigidly connectedtogether, a small space being left between them at d to allow forexpansion. These rails are shown of the wellknown double-headed section,and are carried by chairs 0 c, secured to sleepers c in the usual way.

f f are fish-plates, one of which is fitted upon each side of the railsbetween the flanges of the latter, the fish-plates being held by bolts gg g g passing through holes in the rails and in the fish-plate andtightly screwed up by nuts h, the holes in the rails being slightlyelongated in the usual way to allow for expansion.

The parts of the rails which require to be most firmly supported andheld by the fishplates are those adjoining the ends of the rails, andwith such fish-plates as are ordinarily used these are the parts whichare most quickly loosened by the vibration and pressure caused by theweight of the traffic passing over them.

i i are packing pieces or plates, of steel or other metal, fitted uponeach side of the ends of the rails, inside the fish-plates f f, theseplates extending to or partly or entirely over the inner bolt-holes (seeFig. 6) and having holes through them corresponding with these latter.Their inner sides are made fiat, (see Figs. 4, 5, 7, and 8,) so thatthey fit closely against the sides of the web of the rail for its fulldepth, and their outer sides are rounded, so that they fit as closely aspossible against the inner hollow sides of the fish-plates f f. I makethese plates i i very slightly thicker than the space between the fiatside of the rail and theinner curved side of the fish-plate.

, When the rails a b, fish-platesff, platesi i, and bolts g g g g havebeen fitted together, the outer bolts g g are screwed tightly up,bending the ends of the fish-plates slightly against the flanges of therails and pressing their central parts with great force upon the plates1' 2', and the central bolts 9 g are then tightened up, so that the endsof the rails for a considerable distance back from their extremity at d,where any vibration or deflection will be most felt, are held.absolutely firmly and solidly together between the plates 2' 2', whiletheir top and bottom flanges are also firmly held and supported betweenthe upper and lower beveled edges of the fish-plates f f and the entirejoint is practically one solid mass.

By the weight of the traffic passing over the rails a small movement ofthe surfaces in contact takes place, by the wear from which they comeinto more perfect contact and are from time to time tightened up. j

I have shown my invention applied to ordi nary double-headed rails andcorresponding fish-plates; but it may obviously be also applied to railsof other forms of section.

The plates it may be slightly tapered in thickness toward their ends attheir outer sides, so that the fish-plates, when forcibly bent down uponthem by screwing up the bolts g g, may take a more gradual bearing uponthem, and instead of the plates it being separate from the fish-plates ff they may be formed upon the inner sides of the latter during theprocess of manufacture.

In order that the fish-plate and packingplate may be reused after theyhave become worn, I use liners 7.3 is, Figs. 7, 8, and 9, formed of thinmet-a1 of the same length as the fishplates f f and bent at both theirtop and bottom edges to fit against the flanges of the rail. Thepacking-plates 2' 2' are fitted between the outer sides of these linersand the fish-plates ff, the bolts passing through holes in the linerscorresponding with those in the fishplates. The top or bottom edge ofone of the linersk may be extended sufiiciently to be bent down, asshown at Z, Fig. 8, (when the bolts have been screwed up,) and serves asa stop to prevent the nuts h from becoming unscrewed.

Two or more thicknesses of the liners 71; may be used, one of which maybe of greater length than the other.

\Vhat I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is

1. In a rail-joint, the combination with a fishplate provided withbolt-holes correspond ing to the bolt-holes through the rails; of therigid block t' shaped upon its sides to fit the said fish-plate and theside of the rails, respectively; the said block being of slightlygreaterlength than the distance between the two inner bolt-holes through saidfish-plate, and the ends of said block being provided with openingscorresponding to the inner boltholes through said fish-plate,substantially as described.

2. In a rail-joint, the combination with a fish-plate provided withbolt-holes corresponding to the bolt-holes through the rails, andhaving a concave inner face; of the rigid 13100191; shaped upon itssides to fit the said fishplate and the side of the rails, respectively;the said block being of less width than said fish-plate,and being ofslightly-greater length than the distance between the two innerboltholes through said fish-plate, and the ends of said block beingprovided with openings corresponding to the said inner bolt-holesthrough said fish-plate, substantially as described.

3. In a rail-joint, the combination with a fish-plate provided withbolt-holes correspond ing to the bolt-holes through the rails, andhaving a concave inner face; of the rigid blockishaped upon its sides tofit the said fishplate and the side of the rails, respectively; the saidblock being of less width than said fish-plate, and of slightly-greaterlength than the distance between the two inner bolt-holes through saidfish-plate,and the ends of the said block being provided with openingscorresponding to the said inner bolt-holes through said fish-plate; anda metallic lining-plate 7; having a flexible extension upon one sideedge adapted to be bent over upon the outside of said fish-plate, andengage the bolt-n uts of the joint, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of twowitnesses.

JOHN FISHER.

\Vitnesses:

O. K. Ennowns; GEO. R. Ennowns.

